Jignal Patel is a confident teenager – be it her school studies or dancing. So confident that the 17-year-old from Glenfield, North Shore, has now embarked on her own dancing “career”.
And Jignal says her passion for dancing is what is driving her to teach others as a “service”.
“I want to pass it on to others,” the Year 13 student from Kristin College told the Indian Weekender.
“These dance lessons are import. I was born in New Zealand and my parents did all they could to make sure that I would always be in touch with my culture, so I am now trying to do the same.”
Jignal has been dancing since she was 10, initially guided into the art by her mother through garba sessions.
She then learned her dances from the Anuradha School of Dance and also through Archana’s Dance School.
Today, Jignal is well versed in bharata natyam, ballet, Bollywood, contemporary, jazz, rhythmic gymnastics and has several dancing to her credit.
And from February 2, she begins classes on the North Shore (Mondays) and at Mt Roskill (Tuesdays) – from 6-7pm on both days.
These classes are for children and teenagers and she also has an adult class on Saturdays on the North Shore.
“I only charge $5 per class because I feel dance lessons should be a service to our wider Indian community. I feel that through dance education, parents are investing in their children's future.
“Indian kids being bought up in New Zealand can still be culturally enriched and educated, everyone loves dance and this way they do not lose grips with their unique culture. I know that had my parents not exposed me to Bollywood dancing I would not be the same person I am today.
“I have a background in rhythmic gymnastics, bharata natyam, ballet and jazz. I did rhythmic gymnastics from when I was 5-15. I recently completed my advanced ballet and jazz certificates but I am yet to perform a bharata natyam arrangatram (graduation ceremony) due to lack of time as I am now in my final year of high school,” says Jignal.
“My favorite is Bollywood dance because it’s so diverse, expressive and there are no rules or boundaries to it. It involves all the dance styles I love and I have grown so much as an individual through dance that is fundamentally what I want to pass on - my dance knowledge and love of dance.
“Bollywood dance is classical dance influenced by western culture so I plan to give the students a good classical (bharata natyam and kathak) knowledge base so their Bollywood technique is strong. I also want to teach them the different branches that make up bollywood dance – “Indo-jazz”, “Bolly-hop” (Bollywood hi-hop), semi-classical, bellydancing etc so they are not confined to just one segment or style of Bollywood dancing.”
She is also focused on her seventh form studies and is hoping to be able to Medicine at university next year.
Jignal’s classes on the North Shore is at 567B Glenfield Rd, and at the Bharatiya Samaj Hall Hall on May Rd in Mt Roskill. $5 per lesson.
For details, please contact Jignal on 444-7400, or 021 069 7007.